GO TO SOURCE KABUL, AFGHANISTAN, March 1, 2001: Despite international outrage, Taliban troops are destroying all statues including two 5th-century statues of Buddha carved into a mountainside in Bamiyan, which they say are contrary to Islam, in the capital of Kabul as well as in other cities, said Qadradullah Jamal, Taliban’s information minister. “All the statues all over the country…
GO TO SOURCE KERALA, INDIA, February 25, 2001: Setting aside a 300-acre setting with natural flora and fauna in northern Kerala, the Kerala State Industrial Development has collaborated with Mata Amrithanandamayi to build a holistic health village on the land. Amma’s devotees from all over the world, many of them medical specialists, already spend annual retreats in Kerala. The centre…
Source: The Washington Times WASHINGTON, D.C., February 25, 2001: From suburban recreation rooms to the halls of justice, people in the Washington area are experiencing the benefits of a full-body workout with yoga while calming their minds. Even Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, according to this report, asked that yoga be taught at the court. Kamakshi Hart, founder of…
Source: Hinduism Today NEW DELHI, INDIA, March 1, 2001: Dr. Karan Singh, Ms. Eva T. Dafarances, wife of Greece Ambassador and other leading scholars presented an evening on Kashmir mysticism February 11 at the India International Centre, New Delhi, reports Virendra Qazi. The highlight of the evening was the life and times of 14th century mystic poetess of Kashmir, Laleshwari.…
GO TO SOURCE March 1, 2001: The ancient Tamil scripture, Tirumantiram, is now available in Tamil and English translation at “source” above. It has been posted by Sathiyavel Murugan, a devotee of Thiruperumthiru Somasundara Paramachariya Swamigal, the late pontiff of Madurai Aadheenam, India.
Source: The Telegraph NEW DELHI, INDIA, February 25, 2001: Male pressure groups, unhappy with the “expansive” definition of domestic violence including a clause on mental torture in the proposed bill, the Indian government is planning to bring about, are lobbying against it. But women’s and lawyers’ organizations have dug in their heels and are seeking to put an end to…
GO TO SOURCE LONDON, ENGLAND, February 28, 2001: A total of 21 international organizations, recommended for proscription under the new Terrorism Act 2000, are listed in a draft Order laid before Parliament today by the Home Secretary Jack Straw. The draft Order will be subject to debates in and approval by both Houses of Parliament. Once approved, it will automatically…
GO TO SOURCE SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA, February 27, 2001: Further information is published in this article about the temple masons, or silpis, working at the Sri Venkateswara Temple in Helensburgh, south of Sydney. According to the men, they have been paid $45 a month in cash for a seven-day week. Another $100 a week is sent home to their families. The…
GO TO SOURCE DEARBORN, MICHIGAN, February 24, 2001: In this Detroit suburb where some grade schools are more than 90 percent Muslim, Dearborn schools do not serve food that meets Muslim dietary rules. This policy has prompted thousands of parents to demand cafeteria food that is “halal,” or permitted under Islamic rules. Halal laws are similar to kosher laws. Like…
GO TO SOURCE KUMBHNAGAR, ALLAHABAD, February 25, 2001: Some of the pilgrims who attended the recently concluded Maha Kumbh Mela would soon receive compensation for injuries sustained during the 42-day-long religious extravaganza, due to the automatic insurance coverage given to every pilgrim. The compensation ranges from US$2,173 to be paid to the relatives of the family who died in an…